First, the original letter,

Cut the sensationalism
The headlines of the Jan. 10 front page today are
disgusting: "Fault '10 months pregnant'." This
community has many elderly and ill people. To
use such an inflammatory scare tactic is totally
uncalled for.

Your paper isn't exactly a class act in the
journalistic world anyway, but this kind of
sensationalism puts you right up there with
The National Enquirer.

Steven E. Oliver
Palm Springs

And then my response,

Confronting danger
In response to the Jan.11 letter by Steven E.
Oliver, "Cut the sensationalism," I say, pull
your head out of the sand.

As an amateur seismologist, I am more aware
than the average layperson regarding the reality
of the earthquake threat in California.

The San Andreas fault is a real threat that
should not be taken lightly. Loma Prieta in the
Bay Area and the Northridge quake were but a
drop in the bucket compared to the real potential
for devastation in California. To poo-poo this
danger is to be an ostrich sticking their head
in the sand.

Rather than try to hide from this danger we
must confront it head on. Since we have as yet
no reliable way to predict earthquakes, the only
solution is mitigation.

A big quake is coming. It's not an "if," but a
"when." We do know enough about quakes to know
that the San Andreas is ripe for a big one. It
may not happen for 30 years, but it could happen
while you read this.

Education and awareness is key to preparing
people and to saving lives. I would hardly call
that sensationalism.

Brian Vanderkolk
Stanton

--
Brian